Civil Engineer Trainee

Step into a rewarding path as a Civil Engineer Trainee with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. This role offers the chance to support important projects that protect Pennsylvania's natural spaces. You will help shape structures that serve communities and ensure public safety. Join a team that values learning, growth, and meaningful results.

This entry level position supports civil engineering projects that protect, restore, and maintain important structures within state parks and forests. You will contribute to design work, inspections, project coordination, and field evaluations. This position will participate in both formal and on the job, training programs under the direction of professional engineers. As a Civil Engineer Trainee, you will perform the following duties:

• Design Support: Assist in creating engineering plans, drawings, and calculations for dams, marinas, erosion control structures, and other civil engineering projects
• Plan Preparation: Develop plans and specifications using Civil 3D with information from surveys and site investigations
• Field Inspection: Conduct site visits to gather measurements and assess conditions for project planning and rehabilitation work
• Consultant Coordination: Review proposals, designs, and project documents prepared by outside engineering consultants for accuracy and feasibility
• Permit Assistance: Prepare documents and applications for local, state, and federal approvals required for construction and modification of dam structures and water projects
• Cost Estimating: Calculate material quantities and prepare engineering cost estimates for construction projects

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment.
• Work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday - Friday, with a 60-minute lunch.
• Travel is required, including occasional overnight travel.
• Telework: You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection and work from an approved location inside Pennsylvania. If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to the headquarters office in Harrisburg, PA. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
• Salary: Selected candidates who are new to employment with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $66,328.00 (before taxes).
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• One year of civil engineering experience and a valid Engineer-in-Training certificate issued by or acceptable to the Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists; or
• A bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or a closely related field that includes or is supplemented by major coursework in civil engineering.
• Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within nine months of graduating with a qualifying degree.

Special Requirement: 

• This position requires possession of an active non-commercial Pennsylvania Class C Driver’s License or equivalent.

Other Requirements:

• PA residency requirement is currently waived for this title.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

How to Apply:

• Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
• If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
• Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
• Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position. 
• All application materials and interview responses must reflect the applicant’s own experience, qualifications, and work. Applicants may use generative AI tools for preparation purposes only. Use of AI to misrepresent or falsify information, or to assist during interviews, is not permitted. Review the Guidance for Generative AI Tools & Job Seekers for additional information.

Veterans: 

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS): 

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

 
If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.
 
The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions. 
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.